Pain
by T-Rexxy
Summary: "If this really is your way of thinking…then I wonder why I even started loving you in the first place - I knew it would only hurt anyway…" A story about Tragedy and Happiness, Love and Hate, Trusting and Cheating. - GruxLucy -
1. Chapter 1

„Vhat does dat mean – yu'll be gone?"

Lucy raised her head in surprise, looking over her shoulder to the door. Gru was standing in the doorframe, unease, slight anger – even a soft trail of fear in his eyes. She was kneeling down to find the suitcase of hers she had put somewhere beneath his closet. But before she could reach after it and pull it from under the wardrobe, her attention was taken off guard – by her husband.

"What are you talking about…?" she said, quite irritated by the tone in his voice and if she wouldn't already know he answer herself, she probably would have responded properly – but if she hated one thing more than anything, it was the way people would talk to her when they were angry for a not reasonable cause.

"I'm talkin' about vhat Agnes has told me!" he explained, crossing his arms. "And now, I figured, I shuld ask yu vhat she meant by dat and vhat yu have tu say about dis.

Lucy said nothing first, but finally found a grasp of the suitcase. She shouldn't have told it Agnes. It was obvious that she'd tell her father sometimes and even if she already told her to keep that a secret until she'd announce it to him…well, children just couldn't keep secrets.

"Oh, uhm…" she said eventually, still not looking at him. "Well, Silas called me some days ago, he said I would be needed for another assignment." "Uh-huh!" Gru grunted, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Somehow, she could understand his anger. They were married for nearly two weeks and spent the days with the kids, Nefario, the minions and everyone else, having some great time together – and suddenly she announced her departure.

"They…" Lucy let out a sigh. Not a heavy one, but more like a releasing, somewhat happy sigh, which was unsettling Gru immensely. "They want me to leave for New-Dheli for their new mission, something about drug-dealing and weaponry-dea—"

"So, dat's it about…?" Gru said, raising his eyebrows in an accusing, parts shocked glance. "A new mission? Somevhere on dhe odher side of dhe world?"  
"Yes!" Lucy cheered, raising her hands to her chest with excitement. "After months of stressing, boring stacks of paperwork, my first mission off in another land! Isn't that fantastic?"  
But Gru didn't share that excitement. Quite the contrary. His eyes studied her, casting disappointment and anger onto her.

"Honey, what is it?" the redheads face changed abruptly. "Oh nothin', nothin' at all!" Gru said and made an appeasing movement of his hand, but…he was feigning it.

"It's just…well, oh, I was jus' naively thinkin' dat – probably, perhaps, my dearest wife I am married tu less dhan 13 days maaaayybe wants tu stay vith her family and spend some nice days full of fun and love, radher dhan goin' somevhere on dhe odher side of dhe world, which seems tu be way much more appealin' dhan playin' vith her daughters. Or goin' on nice leetle vacation's vith her husband. But…" and there he let out a snide laughter. "But excuse me and my dumb hopes, it is of course way more fun tu leave her family, jus' like dat, vithout tellin' me anythin' about dis!"

Lucy's face turned pale for within a second, she stared back at him as if she just received the message of a closing out sale for lipstick-taser.  
"H-honey…!" she said softly. "No, no no, it's okay!" Gru turned around and shook his head. "It's okay, I never expected any woman tu stay vith me anyway."

"What are you even talking about?" Lucy blurted out. She was about to rise up again and to put her fists in her side, but she remembered that she had actually better things to do than starting a fight with him. And so, she just wrinkled her nose, casting an irked glare at him, before she turns back to her suitcase.

"A'right, then I can continue to pack my things if that is your opinion." Gru didn't respond, not even deigning a look at her at all. And Lucy didn't like him being that quiet. She opened the case, about to put her clothes inside, but she hesitated, still somehow waiting for him to give a comment.

"You're such a drama queen!" at last, she got up again, looking back at him with folded arms. "Do you even have any idea how much that means to me? To be more than just the new one in the league!? Gru, this is my chance to finally prove that I'm better than just doing the paperwork. That I am a real agent! Do you understand how value that is to me?"

"No…" Gru retorted, shaking his head. "Obviously, I du not. Because in my opinion, stayin' vith dhe family dat yu never had, and dhe man who loves yu more dhan anythin' is more value dhan anythin'! Because yu shuld cherish dat as long as yu still have it!"

"Wait…" she suddenly backs off. "What are you implying with that?"  
Again, Gru didn't say a word.  
And Lucy's patience suddenly snapped.

"Okay, you know what? Forget it! You may are my husband, but you do not have the right to keep me away from my dreams, nor my job, nor to tell me what to do! I'll go! And you cannot convince me otherwise."  
"Yeah, and du yu know vhat? I will not try tu keep yu away! Leave if yu like! Who am I anyway tu keep yu here?"

"I don't know, and I don't care!" she threw the shirt she hold in her hand on the ground. "Instead of being happy, you just blame me for being a bad person and a bad wife, right?"

"I didn't say anythin' about dis, but if yu –"  
"Ohh, yeah, that's right, now you deny it!"

Gru rolled his eyes, shaking his head again as he turned around and massaged his temples.

"Dis is jus' ridiculous…" he muttered.  
"Yes! Yes it is, you got it right!" Lucy started to yell. "It is ridiculous! What you're doing there is ridiculous!"  
"I am actin' ridiculously?" he turned around again, pointing at himself inculpated. "Du yu even catch at all vhat yu are doin' tu me? Tu yur daughters? Yu jus' leave us, although yu know exactly how much we need yu here?"  
"You came along without me for years, and now you're acting like you cannot stand a second by yourself?"

Gru stared at her in disbelief. Did she really just…imply that he could live without her after all? That every time he told her that he loves her was a lie? Endless nights he was lying next to her, hoping that she'd never leave him, hoping that she never vanishes out of his life, that day he reveals that she meant everything to him and that he would not be himself without her around – did she really think that was all a lie?

And something inside of him died. All of the sudden.

"Okay…" he said, far too calm for the previous volume of their voices. "A'right, dhen yu know vhat? Leave!"  
"Gru, listen…" Lucy had noticed the broken mirror inside of his eyes, but she was interrupted.  
"No, it's okay…Yu wanna go? Dhen Go! Go already!"  
"Gru…!"  
Lucy's eyes started to become wet. "Gru, please stop it."  
"No! No I do not stop it! I said leave already!"  
"Gru stop it!"  
"Come on! Take yur things! Leave!"

But she didn't. And Gru just got more and more furious. He approached her, menacingly, pointing at the door. "See? Dhere is dhe door! Go! I du not stop yu! And I du not run after yu! If I mean dis leetle tu yu!"  
"Please, just shut up!" she covered her ears.

"Oh I shut up? No! Yu jus' gotta go! NOW!  
_**JUS' FUCK OFF!"**_

Suddenly, a loud bang. A surreal force slammed against his face and his body clenched his body.

Pain started to seep up into his right side of his cheek. If you know the pain you feel when you burn your skin on a hot cooktop, then you know the pain of a slap on the face. Gru opened his eyes again, instead of looking on the redhead, he seemed to stare at the ground. He titled his head, eyes catching the sight of Lucy again. Her hands was raised, palm flat and her eyes glaring at him. He never had seen her pupils glowing that green in wrath.

Tears streamed down her face. Something, that was quite uncommon for a person who just was literally boiling inside with rage. Gru held his painful aching spot on his cheek and the realization of her own wife just slapping him took effect on him. The already broken mirror collapsed inside his eyes, leaving nothing but shards.

Lucy stated to shudder. Did she really…hit her husband? Hit Gru, the person she loved? The man she swore eternal faithfulness? When he looked back at him, her expressions dropped so quickly, that the previous pain of her creased face remained.

"Gru…" she croaked. Her feet urged her to step back, back from him as if she means danger to him. That look on his face…  
"G-Gru, I'm…"  
"Yu know…" he started all of the sudden, his voice sounding like she never heard him speaking before. It was frightening, and it gave her goosebumps. "If dis really is yur way of thinkin'…dhen I wonder why I even started loving yu in dhe first place."

He slowly turned around, heading back to the door, leaving her alone in her shocked state.

_"I knew it wuld only hurt anyway…"_


	2. Chapter 2

„Miss Wilde, we can consider ourselves quite lucky to welcome you to New Delhi and greet you as a new member of the team."  
"Hm?"

"Uhm…Miss Wilde, I said, we are quite happy you joined our Team for the mission." The gentleman smiled at her, barely touching her shoulder.  
"O-oh, ah yes of course. Pardon me, I'm…still a bit stirred from the flight and –"  
"That's Alright, Miss Wilde, we understand."

Lucy offered the young male with the blonde short hair some half-smile, emerald eyes quickly turning back onto the ground of the long black car that was driving her through the loud, noisy, busy streets of India.

New Delhi was breathtaking!

Never had a city like this ever made her stare in awe that long and that much. The many cars on the highways, the vast landscapes of buildings, houses, small and tall, colorful, rich and poor, even the people around her, while they're passing by, gave her goosebumbs. It was absolutely nothing to compare with America. With the steady, quiet little city she lived in.

And even if the streets, filled with thousands of people (and even white cows, running around like it was the most obvious thing for everybody), the smell of roasted vegetables and the sonorous sound of the music around them made the city almost unforgettable – it was not enchanting for Lucy.

"The Indians believe the cows are gods." The man said, looking over his shoulder back to their agent. "that is why they leave them running around like that." Lucy said nothing, but stared outside the window, mind filled with other things. White emptiness, thoughts passing by, her eyes followed the scenes outside, but nothing could pull her out of her deep state of constant apathy.

Some rude way to greet her new partner for the next seven days, but even about that she couldn't care less.  
Just one person filled her brain…  
Gru.

Soon, her absent-mindedness was leading her to give her body a sudden jolt when the car stopped slowly in front of a big building, with white walls, a beautiful fountain and bellhops, opening the door for her to step out. Lucy adjusted her jacket and carefully raised, looking around like she was lost in place.

"Your luggage will be brought up to your room, instantly, Ma'am." One of the women in their red uniforms informed her friendly, but Lucy just nodded and waited for her partner.

He did follow, jumping up the stairs to joint her on the front door. "So, what do you think?"  
"It's…nice, I guess." She said and smiled faintly.  
"Well, it's the best hotel we could find for you around the city."  
"That's very friendly of you. Oh, speaking about that…" her fingers trailed along the strap of her purse. "I can't remember we were introduced properly."  
"No, can't remember we were." He retorted, grinning coyly, as he offered her one of his hands he had but in the pockets of his smoking. "Dexter. Jonathan Dexter. Or Agent 038, as the AVL would refer me."

Lucy was impressed. She hasn't had any codename to be called. Mostly just Agent Wilde – no letters, no "Agent xy"…but also, this was Dexter's fourth mission out of America and he was some "big cheese".  
"Lucy. Lucy G—I mean…Lucy Wilde." she gave an awkward chuckle. "It'll be my pleasure to work with you."  
"Nah, Miss…" he said and took her hand, leading it to his lips, softly kissing her knuckles.  
"It'll be mine."

The two Agents were brought to their room and as soon as Lucy shut the door behind her, she gulped heavily. Two things just happened that were immensely unsettling her. First of all: She denied her actually, new, last name. Gru. His name. She didn't say "Lucy Gru", and making clear that she was married to the AVL's new recruit. And according to that, he was assuming she was not spoken for.

Couples did indeed have arguments once in a while. But she started to worry that this fight was perhaps a bit too early for husband and wife. They knew each other over two years and almost never had disputes like these. And suddenly that one, right after their wedding…

And secondly: Was he making a move on her…?

She shook her head, violently. This was ridiculous. It was a bummer, realizing the mistake she made, but worrying herself like that was not good for her either…Something just had to happen – she had to call Gru. Now.

Looking around the hotelroom for a telephone, she simultaneously was seeking in her pockets for her cellphone.  
Until suddenly something in her purse on the nightstand started to vibrate.  
She rushed over to it, opening it to find her phone hidden beneath some other items. It was Gru's number.  
She swallowed, both scared and happy he was calling. And so she answered.

"Gru…?"  
"Lucy!" A small, feminine voice answered.  
"Lucy, how are you? We miss you!" "O-Oh…Agnes!" she responded, trying not to sound as disappointed as she was. It was just good to hear her kids voice. "Agnes, honey, how are you? How are your sisters?"  
"They're okay, Edith has lost her beanie and Margo is meeting Avory today."  
"Avory? Who is this?"  
A small pause. Then Agnes added, what Margo was also always telling her father: "Does that matter?"  
"Uhm…no. It's alright!" she chuckled.

"Agnes?" - "Yes?"  
"Uhm…is Daddy at home?"  
"No – he didn't say where he was off to, to be honest, he just said it was something with Miss Thomson." Some noises echoed in the background. "I just found it weird, because normally, he never leaves without a reason…or without telling us…and especially not with our Babysitter…"

A sudden, harsh pain spread in her chest. Her hands started to shake slightly, her body clenched… She had an assumption, where he was going – and with why. And according to Agnes description…  
"I-I think he's just out for a walk, honey…" she said, stammering. She sat down on the bed, otherwise she would have collapsed.  
"Oh…okay, yes, maybe!" Agnes replied. "I'll tell him to call you back, okay?"  
"That would be nice, Agnes. I gotta go now, I have to work. I'll be back in…no time. I promise."  
"Okay, Lucy! Bye!"

Lucy simply pressed the button and ended the call. Her hand gave in, the phone slipped out of her palm and onto the ground. Was Gru perhaps…cheating on her? She knew him – he never left the house without any reason. And without telling his daughters. But apparently she knew not enough of him. About him being unfaithful towards her. Was that now his revenge for hitting him? For hurting him?  
She'd deserve it…actually.  
She left him without telling him. Put all the blame on him.

Suddenly, all the images, of Gru being around with another girl popped up in her mind - sitting on the couch with someone else, a way more beautiful woman than her with a little pretty nose, brown eyes, long blonde hair and an incredible body, holding each other, kissing each other…  
Even…sleeping with each other.  
Lucy bit her lip. It was unfair of her to think this way, after all, he was her husband and he didn't marry her if he wouldn't love her.  
But that look on his face…  
That moment he realized what she had done to him – and what she had done to herself.

Later that evening, Lucy was sitting all alone at one of the dining-table in the hotels restaurant, absently-minded picking in her food, not about to eat anything. She wondered why she even ordered something when she wasn't even hungry…  
Probably because she didn't want to stay in her tiny room all by herself, alone, without the warmth of a family around her - and also because she knew that mushroom risotto with rice and chicken was Gru's favorite dish and she ordered it because there wasn't anything else she even could afford to pay.

The idea of Gru cheating on her wouldn't leave her. Instead, it made it just harder for her to convince herself from the opposite. Gru didn't even know any other women, how would he come by an even more beautiful lady than her…?

"Miss Wilde!"

Lucy jerked, raising her head and irritated looking around for the source of the voice. A young, good looking man approached her, taking a seat on the other side of the table. "Dexter…o-oh, uhm…good evening, Mister Dexter." - "What are you doing here, all by your own?"  
"Uhm…I just…I just was about to eat, you know?"

She violently stuffed a big spoonful of rice in her mouth, chewing quickly and swallowing it down, before she cracked a grin. But Dexter seemed not to be convinced by her statement.

"Well, the fact that you was just merely sticking your fork into your meal and the chicken went cold already determines that either you was quite too distracted to eat it…" he leaned over the table, chin resting on his hands he propped up on the table. "Or the cook is incredibly untalented with his job."

Lucy smiled, wiping off her mouth.

"Well, I guess then you got me…" she sighed, and Dexter smiled. "I was…absorbed in thoughts, perhaps."  
"What thoughts…?" he asked.  
"Oh, just…well, about the mission, the flight, anything…I'm suffering a bit from the jetlag, or I'm just…"

"Thinking about someone?"

The redhead raised her head once more, looking back in his dark eyes. It was quite strange he seemed to read her like a book. Was it that obvious that she was sad about someone else?

However, Dexter was still acting way too tranquilly, all too well-knowing.  
"I have my own problems to cope with to think about someone in that moment, mister Dexter." She said, continuing to eat her rice quietly.  
"Of course, Miss Wilde, of course." He nodded.  
"Mh!" Lucy tilted her head slightly. "Won't you eat anything?"  
"Well, no, I had dinner already. But speaking about this…" he snapped his fingers and one of the butlers strolling around approached them and the blonde agent whispered something in his ear, at which he nodded and quickly headed back to the kitchen.  
"What were you telling him?" Lucy asked.  
"You'll see…"he said, smiling. And Lucy, involuntarily, smiled back.

A few glasses of wine later, some conversations and laughers and Lucy felt herself all too gone by the magic of the alcohol. Dexter was not any better, she even noticed his cheeks had begun to glow in the same color as the red, tasty liquid standing steadily in their glasses.

"So, Lucy…" Dexter asked, scooting a bit closer over the small table. "What is the real reason you're all by your own here? A woman like you shouldn't spend the evening alone." Lucy sighed, giggled and then sighed again. "Oh, well – uhm…!" she muttered. "I'm not sure if you're familiar with this kind of…situation, but…"  
She felt bashful, incredibly guilty for sharing this with him.  
"What would you do, if a person you actually…well…who you like very very much, even so much you'd…you know…do anything for, and then you do something that hurts this person, mentally and physically, because he wouldn't understand you and your decision – and then you have the very suspicious feeling this person has found someone else to love…uhm…what would you do?"

Dexter tilted his head to the side, chestnut-brown eyes glancing at her and seeming to examine her face with every corner.  
"I'd try to understand her from the beginning on." He answered. "Then you wouldn't be the victim in this incredibly immature crime."  
Dexter smiles.  
And she smiles back.  
"I assume this happened to you before this mission?"  
"What - me?" She opened her mouth in shock.  
"Noooo! Nono, no it, uh...that happened to a friend of mine..."  
"Hmm, I see. But ever since I have heard that you and this certain ex-villain were engaged now, I thought this kind of thing would only happen to somebody like you..."  
Lucy's face suddenly warmed up in both surprise and anger.  
"Excuse me, what are you implying with that?" she slurred upset, but Dexter chuckled and raised his hand.  
"Oh, no offense, but - it just occurred to me..." he shrugged.  
"I know, it's none of my business, but...have you really thought marrying a former criminal wouldn't trigger problems sooner or later?"  
If Lucy still was sober, she would have of course defended herself - of course, more herself than Gru, but now she wasn't really aware what Dexter's point was.  
"Uh...No..." she said, genuinely. "No, uh - I didn't really thought so, I hoped he had changed, after all..."  
"Well, Miss Wilde - I guess thus you have been disabused now."  
Lucy chuckled softly, hiccuping from the wine and biting her lip.

"Oh…Oh, Jonathan…"  
"Mhh?"  
Lucy drew back. His lips, inches away from hers, she stares back at him. The air around them had grown hot, warm and Lucy knew exactly, what was going to happen eventually.  
Brown eyes looked back at her, a smug smile tugged on his lips.  
"Feeling guilty now, Lucy?" he muttered, teasing her. Lucy swallowed. She wanted to say no, yet…she was.  
"Huhh –?" she murmured, barely offering him the same smile. It was good, having someone who'd understand her, that much and that deeply.  
She could feel his hands scooting over hers, fingertips running along her knuckles.  
"Of course you do…" he said. "You're loving him, so much, but he couldn't give you what you want, hm?"  
"H-hu-huhh—" Lucy now seemed to realize what was going on, the rush of the alcohol bewildering her senses.  
She noticed her hands, holding onto him in a firm grip, realizing the taste of his lips on hers. She realized that thing in his eyes – to which she almost succumbed herself.  
Fingers trailed along her fingers, his tips stroking her skin smoothly. "He didn't understand you…he didn't let you go…this heartless jerk." he leaned in again and kissed her, but she was not able to neither pull back, nor to return it.  
"G-Gru…" she muttered, out of reaction.  
"And all that for nothing…when in the end, he really does let you down, hm?"

And suddenly, something tugged on her annular finger. The ring.  
His ring. The bond between her and her man. Her husband…  
Her only love.  
Gru.

"Get your hands off!" she blurted, violently pushing her hands against his chest. He rushed away, now sitting on the other side of the bed, staring at her in bewilderment. Lucy glared at him, teeth clenched. Her chest rose and fell with all the air she inhaled within that short time.  
Dexter blinked twice, before he creased his face.

"Tss!" he sneered, raising up again and adjusting the tie she had messed up some moments ago while they still were lost in their kisses.  
"Such manners! And I thought there still would be some cultivated Americans around here!"

"Get out!" she hissed, pointing at the door. "Now!"

Dexter stared back at her, eyes narrowed. Lucy felt a certain short rush of fear, for she had the feeling he was staring at her just to be playing with the thought to transit to a very rough way to get what he wanted…  
"You have…no idea about him! No idea!" she growled. "He's not heartless! And he's not a jerk – he's my husband!"  
"Well, what a pity…" he hissed back, then he headed to the door, shutting it loudly behind him.

Lucy was alone, staring at the floor. What she had done…was inexcusable. Not for Dexter – but for Gru.  
And if she wouldn't hear her phone ringing closely to her, she probably would have ignored it.  
Somewhat mechanically, she picked it up and answered, without looking on the display.

"Hello…?"  
"Lucy…"

A sudden, hard pain spread in her guts as she realized, who was calling.

"Gru…?" she whispered, voice breaking.  
"Uhm…Lucy, are yu a'right? Yu sound quite startled."  
"G-Gru, I…" she gulped. "I'm…I'm just…happy that you call me."  
No answer.  
Lucy didn't want to, but she remembered his words, echoing inside of her head:

_"Go! Leave! I du not stop yu! And I du not run after yu! If I mean dis leetle tu yu…"_

"U-uh-uhm…" she stammered, trying not to give in to the tears yet.  
"How are you? The kids…?"  
"We're fine. And how's New Delhi?"  
"Oh, it's…"

Should she tell him the truth? How miserable she felt here, all alone on her little mission? How dark her room was, and how ugly the stars seemed without somebody to share this sight?

"It's wonderful here…"  
"I thought so…"

Lucy quickly threw her hand on her mouth as she felt the first tears driving into her eyes.  
"Gru…listen…" she sighed, sighed again and then swallowed audibly, before she started to speak:  
"Actually…well…uhm…" she paused and feared that he had stopped listening to her.

_"I just found it weird, because normally, he never leaves without a reason…or without telling us…and especially not with our Babysitter…"_

It hit her like a bolt when suddenly she remembered him speaking out these words. She started to quiver. Her fingertips felt numb, her sight was spinning, although she was resting on the sheets, deep inside her guts and her chest a painful knock hit her.  
Her breath seemed to quicken.  
"Lucy…?" she heard him speaking.

She let out her suppressed sadness, crying into the crook of her arms. "Gru, I…I'm so sorry! I'm so terribly sorry…I was wrong, Gru. I was wrong with everything. I thought you could live without me for this short amount of time, but…but the truth is I cannot live without you."  
All the emotions she was trying to handle suddenly flooded her mind and her heart like the tears which streamed out of her eyes.

"Everything I'm doing is wrong! _ g!_…"  
"Lucy, vhat is wrong?" Gru suddenly interrupted her, and she could feel his concern, carried through the phone.  
Lucy couldn't speak on. She buried her face into her arms wrapped around her knees she drew close to her chest.  
"I don't wanna be here…" she sobbed.  
"I wanna be home…"

Gru was quiet again, and simply listened to her voice, long enough, without humming soothing sounds how he normally would do. But just knowing that he would listen to her – it was enough for her right now to calm down again.

"Lucy…" he said. "Hm…?"  
"Yu'll be fine, okay? Du yur job here – dhen yu'll be home in no time."  
"Okay…"  
Again, some long pause of silence.  
"Gru, I'm…I'm sorry." – "It's okay, it's okay…" he said. "Have a good time, a'right?"  
"Alright!" she muttered, and then…he ended the call.

Lucy lowered the phone from her ear. A certain pain pressured against her chest, she gulped, looked at the screen – he never had acted like this before. So…distanced. So aloof. So…rejecting.  
She could imagine he still was angry.  
But the thought of him, going out with that Babysitter, this Miss Thomson – it crushed her heart like it was a fragile little flower.  
Miss Thomson was so beautiful, compared to her. Curves, blonde long hair, blue eyes – and a perfect shaped nose.

It was ridiculous to be thinking about him and her together, how much better they seemed to fit, how much they belonged to each other – but throughout the night, it wouldn't leave her in peace.

"Gru…" she whispered. "I love you. Please…Don't do this to me…"


	3. Chapter 3

It was already past six when he finally heard a knock on the door.  
"Oh, there he is!" said Edith and jumped off the couch, Agnes followed her, snapping for her bigger sisters hand, therefore she wasn't as fast as she was.  
"Easy, girls, easy!" said she. Wow, they seemed to have missed him quite awfully.  
Opening the door, Gru ran his hand over his bald head, brushing off the snow that had fallen down on him while walking back home.

"Hey, ladies."  
"Gru, look at you!" Agnes cheered and giggled. "You look like a snowman."  
"Like an ugly snowman!" Edith added and everybody was laughing – except Gru.  
"Edith, Agnes, really?"  
"It's okay, Holly, it's okay."

Holly Thomson, blonde, tall, beautiful brown eyes in a rather pristine face of hers, was always just too polite. But she was a good Babysitter after all.

Holly lived some houses next to them, around the neighborhood. As a young woman, while being a medical student as well, she naturally took any job they could get, whether it be walking dogs, go shopping for families- or to guard the daughters of a former Supervillain while their father was a at a meeting of the AVL for a couple of days, in terms of his request of a promotion to become a secret agent – like his wife.

Anyway, the kids loved Holly. She did everything with them, from visiting Super-Silly-Fun-Land to going to the cinema. It was better than having them sitting alone in the house every day, alone and without entertainment.

Gru knelt down and hugged his daughters lovingly. "Have you been good while I was gone, kids?" He cast a sideways glance at Holly.  
"Of course." Said Edith and Agnes. "Ah-ha ? So no trips to the lab, no pranks vith the minions?"  
"Erm ..." Said both. "Erm ..." said Holly.  
Gru just grinned, then stood up and brushed over Agnes forehead.  
"Did you bring us anything?" they asked.  
"Well, children, I do not think your father - "  
"Of course I have!" said Gru, and it was not even a lie. He nodded to his backpack, which he had leaned against the wall. "Take it upstairs and see vhat you'll find inside, hm?" Edith and Agnes gasped before they waltzed off with loud cheers.  
"Kids... " grinned Gru, then he turned to Holly.

"Thanks again for watchin' over dhem, Holly." "No problem, Mister Gru." said Holly. "I've taken care of everything, even Edith's nut allergy, breakfast, lunch and dinner, that they do their homework..."  
Gru was already going to inspect his house himself, but for a rather different reason.  
"Vhere is Margo?"  
"Oh, she's with a friend to finish a presentation for school, tomorrow."  
"Is this particular friend perhaps dark-haired, male and is called Antonio?" He narrowed his eyes.  
"Uhm - no, not that I can recall." Holly laughed nervously. "Good!" Gru nodded and sighed, rummaged in his coat pocket for his wallet and fished out a couple of big bills and handed them over to Holly.

"So, thanks again for the trouble, I shuld have hurried a bit more."  
"Oh, nonsense, Mister Gru." Holly took the money and recounted. "I loved the time with the kids. Your daughters are simply charming."  
"Uh-huh ..." Gru nodded, absently...  
"You are definitely a fun dad."  
"Uh-huh - uh, vhat?" Gru blinked a bit shocked. "I said, you are definitely a fun dad."  
"Oh ..." he said and swallowed hard. "Y-yeah, uh, thank you!"

"No, really, I ..." Holly came a little closer. "I've seen how well you deal with the girls. I really did not expected that of you. You know..."  
Gru did not really know what it was, but he had the vague feeling that Holly was in fact now but already got too close and Gru seemed to move backwards slowly.  
"- Only between you and me, you are a great inspiration to me. Not necessarily in the field of villainy, but you ... oh, you know."

"I know _vhat?_" Gru Inquired and it sounded harsher than he meant to.  
"Well, in terms of parenting. And generally, love."  
"Love, huh ?" - "Yes, you know, my boyfriend has just left me. Hard thing."  
"Uh- huh." Gru rolled his eyes.  
"And I don't know ... I'm feeling a little bit alone."

Holly put her hand on the collar of his jacket. "Do you not?"  
"Vhat?" He did not know on what he should pay more attention – the way she fiddled with his jacket, or her question.  
"Aren't you feeling lonely, completely without ... a girlfriend?"  
"I'm _married_." He croaked, more or less noisy. "Oh really, well then - where is she?"  
Holly did not seem to notice that she was clearly getting too far. Gru felt already the door frame against his back, and her brown Hazel eyes fixed on him.

"Gone, isn't she?"  
Gru swallowed again .  
"Ohh, I understand. You're loving her so much, but she could not give you what you want, huh?"  
Her hand slid somehow slowly over his shoulder.  
"I know this only too well ... you've given up so much for them, you have done everything what is within your power for her...And all that for nothing ... when in the end, she really does let you down, huh? "

A sudden pressure, and Holly cringed. Out of reaction, she recoiled, but Gru held her wrist firmly in his grip, his blue eyes staring at her angrily.

"Get out." he hissed to her.  
"I -I -I'm sorry, I did not -" Holly stammered.  
"I said get out!" He let go of her hand and pushed her out of the door frame. The young woman stumbled a bit, and turned around again.  
"Be glad that I am not up to clean my porch, because otherwise dis would have been your last night!"  
"M- mister mi - Gru, I didn't mean to-"  
But Gru had already slammed the door.

With a loud sigh, he leaned against the wall until his legs gave in and he slid down to the floor. The pressure from the job, the long sleepless nights and the pain were bringing him to his knees. His chest clenched painfully.

_Lucy._

Did she really leave him? Did she let him down even though he had promised her eternal loyalty and love?  
Although he had done anything for her?

"Gru, where's Holly?" Agnes asked, who suddenly came around the corner. In her hand she held a plush animal, which Gru had bought for her.  
"Agnes ... " Gru sat up, weak and powerless. "Holly already went home, she was ... very busy." - "Oh, okay, and why are you sitting on the floor?" She came closer, sat down in front of him. "Are you sick?"  
"No, no, dear, no, do not worry." He laughed weakly. "I 'm jus' tired, dat's all."  
"Oh, from the trip?" - "Hm - hm ," he nodded. Agnes put her toy to the side and climbed on his chest, to embrace him with her short arms.  
"I'm glad you're back." She said. Gru smiled wearily, and hugged his little daughter, pressed her tenderly to her and kissed her forehead.  
"Me too, Agnes." - "And I am happy that Lucy soon comes home."  
Gru swallowed hard. "I am too." He answered sullenly.

"Lucy! " Agnes jumped up from her seat as the doors opened and the red-haired woman stepped into the airport-hall, including her baggage.  
Slightly irritated by the sudden voice, calling her name, she looked around, searching and finally found the little black -haired girl running up to her.

"Lucy!"  
"Agnes ... !" Lucy fell to her knees and caught her little daughter, held her in her arms and hugged her as they had not seen each other for years. "Lucy! I'm so glad you're back ..." she breathed. "Agnes, I am too! I've missed you so much, my baby-girl." - "Lucy, hey!" Edith ran on both to and joined their hug- session. "Gru, come on! Lucy is back! "Said Margo to her father, who was moving slowly toward the woman who held his children like a loving mother.

A small smile curled his lips. But when Lucy looked up and saw her husband in the eyes, she could see that something was different than usual. He wasn't as happy as she was to see her again, apparently. Not even a spark of excitement.  
Only a rigid, light smile with the blue mirrors looking at her that she had shattered before.

"Hello, Gru." she finally said, and smiled back as she slowly rose up. The children noticed that something was different between the two, but they did not know that Gru and Lucy had a tremendous quarrel shortly before she left. Anyway, Lucy finally moved up to him, and stood before him. They exchanged glances, not much saying from the outside, but from inside both felt as if they were talking to each other.

_"I've missed you."_ Told her eyes.  
_"I've missed you, too."_ Said his.  
_"You're still mad with me, aren't you?"_  
"_No."_ He shook his head slowly, without saying anything.  
Nevertheless, he took her hands and held them.  
And then finally, without warning, Lucy threw her arms around his neck, and Gru caught her in a warm, long hug.  
"Hi." Said Lucy at last, weak. "Hey ..." Gru replied, just as powerless, yet happy to hold his wife back in his arms. It was a heart-rending picture and it felt for both as if it was an ordeal to be apart from each other that long.

Gru and Lucy drew back and shared a long, tender kiss.  
Agnes jumped up and down excitedly and sighed. "Gaaah!"  
"Eww." Edith said, grimacing.

"Tell me, how was it in India?", asked Margo . "Have you seen the free-roaming cows?"  
"Oh, um, yes I have." Lucy turned in her seat and smiled at the three girls. "They were snow white and just lay on the road around. And the Indians fed them with rice, corn and even shared their own lunch with them."  
"Wow! Really?" The two older grinned at each other. " So I'll definitely in my next life become an Indian cow! "  
"And you were also at the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi?" Margo leaned forward. "I 've heard that one can improve his karma there."  
"Oh , well – I just walked past it but from what I've seen, it was great ! Sumptuously, big-"

"And have you met this Matama Ganni?"  
Now asked Agnes, who had been relatively quiet. All eyes turned to the smallest and Lucy was the first to raise a chuckle.  
"Aw, honey, he's called Mahatma Gandhi - and he's been dead for many years."  
"Oh." Made Agnes. "Why is he so famous, then?"  
"He was a freedom fighter and has been trying to enforce more rights for women and the poor ..."  
"Did he accomplished it?"  
"Hm ..." Lucy looked over at Gru, who gave her a skeptical look. "Uhm ... maybe. A little." She grinned, finally.

The rest of the trip the children discussed if they are even actually reborn later and who could be which animal and would like to be, and how well their karma even was to become a sacred animal until they arrived home and Lucy surprised everyone with a few Indian stuffed animals. Even the minions. And Gru.  
And right into the evening, Lucy shared her story of the great mission, about the cities, the country, the people - but of Dexter, she didn't tell a single word. If she would raise the subject now, it would just surprise the kids, and unsettle her husband.

Both finally met in the living room again after Gru had brought the girl to sleep and joined her on the sofa, Lucy snuggled up to him and swallowed.  
"I missed you, Lucy." He said, and put his arm around her.  
"I ... I missed you too." She said, weak and plagued by worry. Was he really still mad at her?

"Gru ...I ..." she started to say something, but he had already embraced with both arms and she pressed close to him. "Lucy ..."

Lucy's heavy body grew lighter, just a little and she leaned exhausted against him, her arms wrapped around his body. How much she had missed it, to embrace him like this.  
"Are you still angry vith me?"  
"I-I?" Stammered Lucy and looked him in the eyes. "But - but how could I be angry with you?"  
"I had time to think." He admitted. "And vhat I said to you, and vhat I blamed you for - dat was wrong and stupid of me. I shuld have support you instead. I know how important your job is to you."  
"Gru, you and this family, you are the most important thing in my life." She put her hands on his cheeks. "I shouldn't have acted so selfishly. Gru..."

Tears formed in her green eyes. "I'm so sorry."  
Gru leaned his forehead against hers, stroked his thumb over her cheek and started on the first tears that rolled down from her eyes.  
"Shhh ..." he comforted her. "Shh, honey, shh."

Lucy sobbed a few times and then looked him in the eyes. Her body trembled and she seemed to get closer and closer to him, looking for his warmth and shelter.  
He kissed her, cautiously at first, then lovingly and long, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, replied every encounter of his lips. She had missed him so much.  
"Lucy…" he broke the kiss. "I love you."  
"I love you too, Gru."

He put his hands on her hips, she pulled herself close to him and they both kissed again, deeply and intimately. The tingle in her stomach, which she already felt back as they had spent the night together for the first time, spread everywhere in her body. Even if both were married already for weeks, he still was turning her head. He ran his hand over her back and along the back of her neck and she responded with a low, quiet sigh. She missed his touches, and the warmth of his palms on her skin. According to his hands, she ran hers over his broad shoulders and down his chest and Gru knew exactly, what was going to happen.

The man drew her closer, one hand running over her back and her hips, while the other held her head and pulled her deeper into his kisses. Like her lips were rare as gold, he enjoyed every second of it, and so did she. Breaking and sealing them again together, lightly sucking on his bottom lip, she felt her limbs getting light and filled with pleasing warmth, and she felt her body succumbing to him. She was his. Gru put his arms beneath her form and lifted her off the couch, it was some easy procedure for him, she was light and delicate and he was strong enough to carry her out of the living room and to the stairs, and she never left his lips kissing his; with her legs looped around his hips and her arms clutching to his torso, she was holding tight. He stopped in front of their bed, which has appeared to be so big and empty without her next to him and then nestled her in the sheets, following suit until he was kneeling on top, looking down at her for a second to savor the sight of hers. It was more like a dream that she was back, after such a long time. Back with him, back home, that he could feel her lips on his again and feel her body against his.

He bends down, kisses were shared and Lucy's knees pressed against his hips, wobbling slightly in excitement. Out of reaction, Gru sighed lowly, drawing her into a full body hug still lingering on her lips, before his hands start to slip beneath the fabric of her clothes.

Lucy cringed.

Something suddenly felt very wrong. She didn't know why, but she never had been reacting this way to his touches. Gru seemed not to notice it, for he carried on with drawing his hands over her bare stomach and her hips, pampering her sooth, in his eyes perfect skin. She was still wondering, why she felt that way, but soon forgot about that weird incident, but instead let him do his work on her. And he did.

Slowly undressing her, he pulled off her shirt and threw it on the ground. "You wear much too many clothes." He joked between their kisses.  
"You too…" she responded, and finally, her fingers crawled beneath his sweater and upwards his bare chest, feeling his shiver running down his body.

As soon as both were topless, Gru shoves his arms beneath her form, lifting her up to his face to kiss her collarbone and neck, while he hoped to get rid of her bra, when she suddenly cringed once more. Violently. And this time, Gru noticed.

"Are you okay?" he asked.  
"I-i…" Lucy stammered.

She remembered.  
His touches, his words, his breath brushing over her neck when he was tugging on the precious ring on her finger.  
Dexter.  
His words struck like a bolt:

_"Feeling guilty, huh, Lucy?_

_ Of course you do…_

_ You love him, so much, but he couldn't give you what you want, hm?_

_ He didn't understand you…_

_ he didn't let you go…this heartless jerk._

_ And all that for nothing…_

_ when in the end, he really does let you down, hm?"_

_** "I wonder why I even started loving you in the first place."**_

"Oh god-" Lucy stared up at him with saucer eyes, her hand leaving his body and pressing on her mouth.  
Gru looked down at her with rising fear. "Lucy, vhat is it…?"  
"G-gr-gru…" she breathed, and then tears streamed down her cheeks, unstoppable, running over her hands and dripping down on the sheets.  
"Lucy!" Gru grabbed her shoulders. "Lucy, what happened? Have I hurt you?"  
"N-no…" she shook her head and then slowly sat up, lids closed tightly to stop the tears from falling. Gru followed, staring at his wife.  
"I'm so sorry, Gru. I'm so sorry." She whined behind her hands. "Bu-but…" he was confused. He already had assured her that he was okay, and it was not that tragically, right?

Without asking any further, the man quickly embraced her and pulled her close to him, holding her head and nuzzled his face into her hair. "Lucy, lucy, calm down."  
"Gru, I'm so sorry…" she cried, clutching to him like a helpless little girl. He has never seen her that distraught before. Something happened, something different than the incident with her hand slipping and hitting him.

Gru rocked back and forth, humming soothing sounds in her ear. "Shh, Lucy, it's okay, it's okay."  
"No…" she shook her head. "It's not okay. Not okay…"  
She drew back, brushing off the tears from her cheek. Her husband frowned, looking just as helpless as her. Eventually, Lucy gulped, and then took a deep breath.

"M-my…my co-worker…in India." She started. "His name's Dexter. He's Agent 038, you know, from the external agency."  
Gru nodded.  
"He was supposed to be my co-worker during the mission, and…well, he was so nice to me during the time I felt down, because-because your words…" she started to sob again. "Later, he…he somehow got me to trust him, more and more, and he seemed to be reading my mind. He knew the pain I felt from being apart from you and the kids and…and then he forced me to kiss him."

Gru opened his mouth to say something, but just a low gasp in disbelief was everything he could respond with.

"Well, actually…he kissed me and I didn't even draw back. I let it happen. I let him kiss me. Until he was about to pull off your ring from my finger, and then…something snapped and I pushed him away from me. A long pause.  
"You- told me that you wondered how you could love me in the very first place. And I was judging you for saying such words to me – but now I am questioning myself the same."

"You cheated on me…?" Gru whispered.

"G-gru, I didn't sleep with him!"  
Lucy's world crumbled beneath her. "I didn't do anything! Please, you don't understa—"  
"I think I do understand a lot!" he said, serious in his voice and he drew back, far enough to sit on the edge of the bed. He stared on the ground.  
Lucy didn't know what to say, or what to do. No, he didn't understand! She didn't do anything! She didn't sleep with Dexter – she had made sure he never ever would get another mission with a female partner, in fact.  
But what would that bring her when he wasn't believing her?

"Gru…" she breathed.  
He didn't answer. Yet, something was weird in the way he was behaving. He wasn't really angry, more…sad.  
"You know, I…while you were gone, dhe gurl from next door, she was watchin' over dhe kids some days while I was speakin' vith Ramsbottom. And vhen I came back, she…she tried to seduce me."

"She did…what?" Lucy blinked. "I know, I…I send her home and forbid her to come close to my kids or my house from now on, but…but I felt guilty. I felt guilty dat somethin' inside me was really about to…well…to say yes, if you know vhat I mean."  
Lucy nodded.

A long pause and then Gru turned around, looking back at her.

"I have sworn dat I believe you, no matter what kind of lie you are telling me. You were the only person I trust more dhan anybody, and I do hope you're not misusing this faith I put in you."  
The redhead moved close to him, hands finding his and he didn't draw back. He held hers, squeezing them and smiled at her. And she smiled back.  
"Gru…no matter what you do, I still trust you. I believe you that nothing between you and her happened. Because I love you, I love you more than anything. Do you trust me if I tell you I didn't sleep with Dexter?"

Gru looked at her, deep into her eyes. He recognized lies when they were told, and he saw that she was telling the truth.  
And so, he nodded, slowly.

"I du."

Lucy gulped as she cramped her face once more and bit her lower lip, brushing off the tears from her cheeks. The man put his arm around her and held her close, hand brushing over her hair and kissing her forehead. She still was whimpering silently, but her voice grew quieter and quieter, soothed by his hugs and kisses and the knowledge that he trusted her.  
And she trusted him.

"I love you so much, Gru."  
"I love you too…"


End file.
